Originally published July 20 2005
Fewer calories may help fight disease
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The island of Okinawa has the highest percentage of inhabitants older than 100 years old in the world, and since people who live there tend to have low-calorie levels, there is some evidence that eating fewer calories may be helpful in fighting chronic disease, although further study is needed to draw concrete conclusions.
At a time when everything from sport utility vehicles to hamburgers comes "supersized," the notion that less is more may seem out of date to some Americans.
But when it comes to calories, eating fewer just might be a prescription for a longer, healthier life.
I was fascinated to learn that the island of Okinawa in Japan is home to the highest percentage of centenarians (those aged 100 or older) in the world --- 39.5 for every 100,000 people, compared to about 10 in every 100,000 Americans.
The Okinawa islanders consume a high-quality diet --- mainly homegrown vegetables, tofu and seaweed; they also tend to live low-stress, active lives.
Interestingly, while most Okinawans have protein and fat intakes similar to those of their fellow citizens, the Okinawans' total calorie levels are 20 percent less than the Japanese national average.
In the Biosphere2 experiment, participants living in a self-contained ecological space outside of Tucson had to eat a low-calorie diet after experiencing problems with crop cultivation.
Though the original plan called for them to eat 2,500 calories per day, the subjects averaged only 1,800 calories a day for the first six months, then increased their intake to about 2,000 calories daily for the remaining 18 months.
At the end of two years, participants not only had lost weight but also reduced their blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein ("bad" cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, all of which when elevated are linked to the development of chronic disease.
Calorie restriction without undernutrition may turn out to be a prescription for a longer and healthier life.
In the meantime, you can take small steps toward healthy lifestyle changes through proper eating habits combined with a comprehensive exercise pro- gram.
Avoid foods that are high in trans-fat acids and partially hydrogenated oils, found in margarines and many processed foods.
Minimize consumption of fried foods and butter, palm and coconut oils.
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